Overheard Conversations
by welleg
Summary: Nick's best friend from Dallas inadvertently plays matchmaker. Nick/Greg relationship.


Disclaimer: Don't own them. The character of Riley and all members of the Stokes family never seen on screen are my creation, however.

A/N: Written for the February Challenge for nickngreg on LJ. Spoilers for 2x19 "Stalker."

Nick groans as the phone wakes him up. He knows it's not work since he doesn't go back for another two days, which means it's Riley. As much as Nick loves his best friend he shows she's calling either to bust his balls because he skipped her wedding or to tease him about Greg, neither of which he wants to deal with at the moment. He reaches for the phone anyway, because there will really be hell to pay in he avoids her.

"The hell do you want this time, Riley?"

"Is that how you greet your best friend, Nicky?"

"It is when they wake me up?"

"Oh, poor baby. I though I'd fill you in on some highlights from the wedding."

"Riley…"

"You know you were quite the topic of conversation at the reception." That statement piques Nick's interest.

"Now you have me interested. Though it isn't nice to talk about people that aren't there."

"Don't blame me. I was just the bride. Anyway there were various different explanations as to why you weren't there, some more interesting than others.

"Oh god."

"The most popular one was that you're in love with the bride."

"We were fuck buddies, Riley. I am not nor have I ever been in love with you."

"I know that. Not to mention you spent more time in Andy's bed than mine. Which leads to theory number two: that you're gay and were afraid I'd shoot you for deceiving me, so you decided to hide."

"Considering you were the one that helped me figure out I'm bi…"

"You want to tell all of Dallas that?"

"No, that's okay." Nick's fairly certain Riley's threat is an empty one, but he knows he can never be too careful.

"Of course my personal favorite was your sister-in-law's: he just got thrown out a second-story window by his stalker, you morons."

"Oh lord, Katie didn't make a scene, did she?" Nick loves his sister-in-law, but she has a tendency to go overboard in protecting those she cares about.

"Not really. She got a bit twitchy when the gay bashing started and someone asked your dad why he allowed his son to marry a bleeding heart liberal."

"I'm sure that went over well." Nick is still trying to figure out how his father and sister-in-law get along so well since politically they disagree about everything.

"He politely told them that Katie is a scientist, not a liberal, and that his children are adults and able to make their own decisions."

"I guess that makes my brother a scientist, too."

"Joe just knows when to shut up. Kelsey and Junior are like him – well in that regard – but Colleen is shaping up to be a mini-Katie."

"You mean the 'hippy lesbian' is the soft-spoken one?" Nick and Riley both laugh at Katie Stokes's nickname for her eldest child. "Why are you really calling, Riley?"

"Must I always have an ulterior motive?"

"This is you we're talking about Riley, so yes."

"Fine, then. How's the cohabitating with Greg going?" Nick groans.

"I'm staying in his spare bedroom because parts of my attic are in my living room. I don't think that qualifies as cohabitation."

"You mean you haven't jumped him, yet?"

"Jesus, Riley! You know as well as I do that I have no indication that he's into guys."

"Well, I have an idea."

"I'm not sure I want to hear it, but I'll indulge you."

"I knew there was a reason I loved you. Anyway, you could send him a note from a secret admirer and see how he reacts."

"Riley, I am thirty years old. I am not going to send Greg a secret admirer note – it's juvenile." Nick is startled by the sound of someone clearing their throat and much to his horror he finds Greg in the doorway. "Riley, I have to go." Nick snaps his phone shut and tries not to die of embarrassment. "How much did you hear?"

"Who's the hippy lesbian?"

"My seventeen-year-old niece." Nick pauses, unsure as what to say next. "Uh, Greg…"

"I'm not straight, Nick."

"You're gay?" Nick can't believe what he is hearing.

"Bi actually, but same difference."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because I wasn't sure about you. Especially after Kristy." Nick groans at Greg's comment.

"Please don't bring that up ever again. It was a major lapse of judgment." Greg snickers as he crosses the room and sits at the edge of Nick's bed.

"No really. It was incredibly awkward for me."

"I figured as much since you avoided me for a whole week. So now that we've established that we're both bi and both into each other, what happens now?"

"Whatever you want to have happen, Nicky. If you need time and space to think about things, I'm willing to give it to you."

"I want something with you, Greg. I'm just nervous. I've only ever been with one guy before and it was just about fooling around. I've never been in a serious relationship before either. I don't want to mess things up between us."

"We can go as slow as you want, Nick. I don't want to mess things up either." Greg takes Nick's hand in his own, giving it an affectionate squeeze, before getting up. "I'll let you get dressed. You should also call Riley and thank her for being tactless.

"Whatever you say smartass," Nick tells the retreating figure as he dials his phone. Riley will never let him hear the end of it, but it will be worth it to have Greg in his life.


End file.
